The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to reference signal schemes in wireless communications.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, or a New Radio (NR) or 5G system).
In some examples, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). In a LTE or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) networks, a set of one or more base stations may define an eNodeB (eNB). In other examples (e.g., in a NR or 5G network), a wireless multiple access communication system may include a number of smart radio heads (RHs) in communication with a number of access node controllers (ANCs), where a set of one or more RHs, in communication with an ANC, defines a base station (e.g., an eNB or gNB). A base station may communicate with a set of UEs on downlink (DL) channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink (UL) channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
At times, a UE may need to perform an initial access (or initial acquisition) procedure to gain access to a wireless network. As part of the initial access procedure, the UE may need to search for a synchronization channel transmitted by a network access device, such as a base station, of the wireless network. The UE also may acquire various items of system information, such as contained in a master information block (MIB) or one or more system information blocks (e.g., SIB1, SIB2, etc.) that may be transmitted in a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) transmission from a base station.